Spring-wheel.



190.947.926. PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907. J. H. PAWKBS.

SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 3,911.5, 1996.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A 7TOHNE YS 10.847,926., y PATENTED MAR. 19, '1907.

J.l H. FAWKES. SPRING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, '1906. y y

2 SHEETS-SHEET' 2.

f W NESSES: A /NVENO/' y JACOB H. FAwK Es @W By,

AHORA/ys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rsemNG-wHEiEl..

Application led January 5, 1906. Serial No. 294,752.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Maren i9, 1907.

To allZ wiz/om it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JACOB H. FAWKES, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Detroit, `county of Wayne, and State of Michigan,,have made a newl and useful Improvement in .Spring-VVheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in springwheels, and consists dn certain novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring tot'he drawings forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a section of my improved Wheel, taken onv the line 1 l 'of Fig. 2. Fig. 2"

connecting mechanism.

is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. v1 looking in the directionof the'arrow, Fi ..3 is a section on the line 3 3 ,of Fig. 1. Big. 4 is a detail perspective view of the end of a section of the inner tire, and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective. view of the tire-.retaining arm and its In the practical ap lication .of my inven? tion I provide a Whee A, having a-concave rim a approximately semicircular in cross-y section and provided with inwardly-projecting flanges af at its edges.

A tire B, of rubber or other suitable flexible material approximately semicircular in crosssection, is provided with outwardly-projecting flanges l) for engaging the flanges'of the rim, the flanges being maintained in interlocking relation With each other by means of a plurality'of arms (1J-pivoted to oppositelyarranged brackets c vupon the inner face of the rim adjacent to the flanges and adapted to be forced into contact 'with the inner face of the tire, near` the edge thereof, by means of a toggle comprlsing members c2 c3, pivoted by their outer ends to op' osite arms and by their i'nner. ends to eacli) other. A rod c* is pivoted to both members of the toggle at their connection and' extends throu h an opening in the rim' a, the outer end of t e rod being provided with a head c5 for convenience in manipulating the same.

It will be understood that when the rod isy drawn' downwardly to break the to gle the pivoted arms are" moved toward eai other and away from the inner face of the rim, thus permitting the release of the interlocking ilanges. -A reverse motion of the rod forces the arms into contact with the tire, thus 'firmly locking the anges. In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 1 eight pairs of arms are shown; but it is evident that more or less might be used, as desired.

An inner tire D, preferably of metal and comprising a plurality of sections d, is arranged Within the outer tire for supporting the same, the Sections being of a Wit i somewhat less than that of the outer tire and -spaced apart from each other around the periphery of the Wheel. The ends ofthe sections are provided with bearing-plates d', provided von their upper and lower faces With grooves d2, the bearing-plates being received 1n recesses e in bearing-blocksjE, arranged between the spaced ends of the sections,'the faces of the recesses being provided with grooves e, coacting with the grooves d2 for forming ball-races for the reception of balls e2, arranged between the bearing-plates and the bearing-blocks. The sections of the inner tire are of suiiicient thickness to support the outer tire and are preferably constructed of some light may 'terial, as aluminium. It will be evident that when pressure is made upon the outer tire between the bearing-blocks the section of the inner tire thereunder may yield, the ends4 8o f ofthe section' sliding freely in 'the bearing#` bloks. Leaf-springs F are secured'by their centers to the inner faces of the bearingblocks,and extend in either direction thereof, the free ends f being received between .fction-rollers a2, journaled between the sides ofv 'the. VBolts f traverse the bearing blocks upon either side of the recesses and v extend inwardly through the rim, `being re tained in placeby nuts f 2. The bolts f pe 9o mit free inward movement ofthe bearmgeiii Vblocks with respect to the rino, but restrain the-outward movement thereof. An air-cushion G is arranged between theleaf-spring and the rim beneath. the .be a block, com rising in the present instaee plurality of) cylinders g, one secured tir v`rim and one to the spring, in which' mov'ef;

pistons g', one of said pistons being attached to the rim and the other to the springe-that is,f.i` o o. the cylinders and the pistons.are'@arranged reversely 'with respect to each otherl-V 7' f lllhile I have shown my improved wheel 'as proyided with four springs, it is evidentthat ,moife or less might be used with equal facility, peg." the V-lulmber used depending upon the nature 1. of the load to be carried by the wheel.

It will be evident thatby the use of -my improved wheel a considersbll amountv of rubber is saved inthe tire, since one-half. of f -xo the is dispensed with, thus perfr..

the construction of tires of greater by its center to the bearing-block, a

diameter with the sameamount of rubber as now used in tires of much smaller diameter. I claim- 1 In combination, a spring-wheel provided witha concave rim semicircular in cross-section, and having inwardly-flanged edges, a tire 'semicircular in cross-section and having voutwardly flanged edges for engaging the flanged edges of the rim, means for retaining the edges in interlocking relation,v

an inner metallic tire comprising a plurality of sections spaeed'aparty from each other, bearingplates on the endsfof the sections, al bearing-block between` the adjacent bearing-plates and provided with recesses for receiving the same,a leaf-spring secured neumatic cushion between the bearing-bloc and the rim, means for limiting the outward .movement .of the bearing-block with respect to the rim, and rollers journaled ontherim f orwreceiving the free ends of the-spring.

2. In-eombination, a springwheel provided with a concave rim having inwardly-flanged edges, a tire having outwardly-flanged edges for engaging the edges olfgthe rim, means for maintaining the edges ofthe rim andthe tire in contact, an inner metallic tire comprising a plurality of sections spaced apart longitudinallyfvo'inieach other,bearing-plate's on the ends of the sections, bearingblocks between the sections having recessesto` receive theI bearing-plates, a leaf-spring :secured to the` bearing-blocks and extending uponeach side tliereo ,the ends of thesprings engaging the outer face of the rim.

3. In combinationja spring-wheel provided with' a'concave rim having inwardlyprojecting flanged edges, a tire having outwardly-anged edges vfor engaging the edges of the rirr`1 ,'ieans for, maintaining the edges of the ri'rn and they tireA in contact, ran Ainnermetallic tire comprising ,a plurality vof sections s aced'a'part longitudinally from each other, ieari'riglates o nfther ends of the sections, bealiii'g- Ilocks between the sections having recesses to receive the '.bearin g-plates,A and leaf-springs arrangedv between'the bearingblocksand the ri 4." In 'cornbiatiom a spring-wheel provided witlia concave rim having inwardlyflanged edges, .a tire'l, avin g outwardly-fl an ged edges for engaging the' edges of the rim, an inner metallic tire' comprising a plurality of sections' spaced apart longitudinally from each other,bearing-plates on the ends of the sections, hearing-blocks between the ser'- tions having recesses for receiving the bearing-plates, .and leaf-springs arranged between thel` Waring-blocks and the rim. i

'5. v In combination, a s ring-wheel provided with a concave rim liaving inwardlyflanged Iedges, a tire having outwardlyflanged edges lfor engaging the edges of the rim, an inner metallic tire comprising a plurality of sections spaced apart longitudinally from each other, bearing-plates on the ends of the sectionsfbearing-blocks between the lsections having recesses for receiving the bearing-plates, and springs arranged be- .tween the bearing-.blocks and the rim.

6.` In combination, a s ring-wheel provided With a concave rim f aving inwardlyflanged edges, a tire having -outwardly` flanged edges for engaging the edges of the yflanged edges for'4 engaging the edges of the rim, an inner rim comprising a plurality of sections.. spaced apart longitudinally from A' each other, bearing-plates on the ends of the sections, bearing-blocks between the sections having recesses to receiveithe bearingplates, cushioning devices between the-bear ing-blocks and the rim, and means for limiting the outward movement of ythe bearingblockswith respect to the rim. I

'8. In combination, a spring-Wheel provided with a concave rim having flanges at the'edges thereof, a tire having flanges forengaging the flanges of the rim, and means for Iretaining the flanges in locking engagement comprising pairs of oppositely --arranged arms pivoted to the rim adjacent the flanges thereof, a toggle-lever connecting the arms, and a rod connected to the hinge of the togglefleve'r and extending without the rim.

, 9. In combination, a spring-wheel 'provided with a concave rim lhaving flanges at Ioof the edges thereof, a tire having flanges-for engaging the flanges of the rim, and means for mamtamingthenflanges 1n locking engagement comprising pairs vof oppositelyarranged arms pivoted to the rim' adjacent the flanges thereof, a toggle-lever connecting the arms, and means for manipulating` the toggle-lever.

JAeoB n; FAwKEs.

Witnesses:

'W. K. HAINE's,

I'IUGHL. GLENN. 

